Demonstration of active neutron interrogation of special nuclear materials using a high-intensity short-pulse-laser-driven neutron source

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68378271%3A_____%2F25%3A00604224" target="_blank" >RIV/68378271:_____/25:00604224 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0372412" target="_blank" >https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0372412</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82641-y" target="_blank" >10.1038/s41598-024-82641-y</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Demonstration of active neutron interrogation of special nuclear materials using a high-intensity short-pulse-laser-driven neutron source

Original language description

Detecting shielded special nuclear material, such as nuclear explosives, is a difficult challenge pursued by non-proliferation, anti-terrorism, and nuclear security programs worldwide. Interrogation with intense fast-neutron pulses is a promising method to characterize concealed nuclear material rapidly but is limited by suitable source availability and proven instrumentation. In this study we have pioneered a demonstration of such an interrogation method using a high-intensity, shortpulse, laser-driven neutron source that offers potential benefits compared to conventional neutron sources. The measurement results reported here represent the first experimental demonstration of this interrogation approach on enriched uranium items and demonstrate the feasibility of a precise measurement using realistic nuclear materials, representative of field scenarios, even with just a single laser-driven neutron pulse. Bright pulsed sources can overcome the nuisance background of items with strong internal neutron sources, improving analytical power, while single-shot assay is attractive in high-throughput situations where time is at a premium. The science and technology of this type of neutron production is developing rapidly, and we anticipate that practical mobile interrogation systems will become available based on the detection concepts demonstrated here to meet the growing measurement needs.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10304 - Nuclear physics

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Scientific Reports

ISSN

2045-2322

e-ISSN

2045-2322

Volume of the periodical

15

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

14

Pages from-to

724

UT code for WoS article

001390119100035

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85214118132